


Invite Me In

by Lexigent



Category: Frankenstein - Nick Dear
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-09
Updated: 2011-05-09
Packaged: 2017-10-19 04:50:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/197094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lexigent/pseuds/Lexigent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“The closest I ever came to loving something - someone - was when I made you.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Invite Me In

**Author's Note:**

> Because I find the ending of the play so unsatisfying, I've tried my hand at an alternative version, wherein understanding is achieved.

“I don’t know what love is.” Victor’s voice is no more than a loud breath, the icy air burning in his lungs despite his trying to breathe through the fabric of the hood to lessen the impact. There is only so much a human body can take.

“I will teach you,” says that all-too-familiar voice close to his ear. Even through his thick explorer’s coat, Victor can feel the Creature’s heartbeat - a steady tattoo, full of life, faster and harder than his own, which is slowing down, fading. He can feel the life draining out of himself - the only source of warmth is the body close to his, the arms around his chest.

Victor closes his eyes and draws a long, painful breath in preparation for what he’s about to say. He has had time to reflect on his long journey through the cold, the darkness and the silence, and he has come to the conclusion that, after everything that’s happened, maybe his Creature deserves an explanation. They are a long way from any court of law, and besides, Victor thinks, he won’t survive this. Now they’ve come this far, now everything that could have gone wrong has gone wrong, the least he can do is tell the truth.

“The closest I ever came to loving something - someone - was when I made you.”

The Creature slowly lets go of him, shifts across to look into Victor’s face. Talking is hard for Victor, but he’s going to do this, if it’s the last thing he does.

“You were never meant to... I did not foresee that you would be anything other than I had intended.”

“I do not understand, Frankenstein. Explain yourself.”

Victor sighs.

“I desired you more than anything else in the world. You were meant to be - you were meant to be perfect. Someone who would understand. I had a vision - the perfect companion, the perfect friend.”

The Creature’s face softens as he listens. Victor is struggling to keep his eyes open.

“I thought, friendship - love, even - had to be a possibility... even for me. It never happened with anyone I found, so I created you. You were so much more than just a theorem.”

Victor’s arm gives out from under him, he sinks to the ground. His lids fall shut; his limbs twitch once, and he can feel the darkness closing in...

But then there is wine on his lips, the salty taste of seal meat in his mouth, there are arms around him, shaking him; a kiss on his temple. He coughs and opens his eyes, half-blinded by the bright light reflecting off the snow, only to be greeted by a smile.

“Those are the words I was waiting to hear,” the Creature says. “Come on.”

Victor feels himself being lifted up and it’s somewhat of a miracle when his legs don’t give out straightaway. The Creature makes sure Victor can stand upright before walking across to face him, his shadow blocking out the sun so Victor can look into his face without blinking.

“You have a choice. Try and fail to destroy me like you failed so many times before, and die out here, forgotten by the world. Or take my hand and live alongside me.”

It's not so much a choice as a second chance, and it's much more than Victor feels he deserves. They shake hands.

“I will try, if I get out of this alive.”

Time freezes, like it did years ago, on a mountain in Switzerland. He looks into the other’s eyes.

“Adam.”


End file.
